London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
East Ham 1956
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for East Ham]
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54.
NOTE:- with the exception of garden shelters stored in sections on other Council promises, all
large articles (owing to storage space) are kept at the Town Hall Annexe.
In addition, from the premature baby outfit cupboard the following articles were issued:-
| No. of occasions | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 1967 | |
| Premature baby outfits | 4 | 3 |
| Scales and weights | 47 | 27 |
TUBERCULOSIS
| 1956 | 1967 | |
|---|---|---|
| No. of attendances at East Ham Chest Clinic | 31,096 | 28,240 |
| No. of visits to homes of patients by Tuberculosis Visitors | 4,684 | 4,204 |
| No. of attendances per month by Tuberculosis Visitors at Clinic Session | 1,322 | 1,213 |
There is no change in the procedure outlined on page 53 of my report for 1949 in respect of the
provision of free extra nourishment (milk and food) and free convalescent treatment to tuberculous
patients.
Number of occasions on which free extra nourishment was provided:-
| 1956 | 1957 | |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 696 | 644 |
| 101 | 114 | |
| Total | 797 | 758 |
The following statistics relate to the work of the part-time occupational therapist:-
| 1956 | 1957 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| (a) | Number of sessions at the therapy centre .. | 98 | 89 |
| (b) | Number of attendances at Classes by patients | 1,663 | 1,260 |
| (c) | Number of sessions worked in visiting patients and giving instruction in their homes | 104 | 93 |
| (d) | Number of visits by therapist to patients' homes | 697 | 512 |
B.C.G. VACCINATION
The scheme for the protection with B.C.G. vaccine of contacts of active cases of tuberculosis
continues and in addition, and on the recommendation of the Ministers of Health and Education, this
protection was offered to all schoolchildren in their fourteenth year. Consent of the parents was
sought in every case and it is to be noted that in 1956 consent was refused in 37% of the total
number eligible, whilst in 1957 refusals totalled only 33%. All pupils giving a positive reaction
to the initial skin test were referred to the Chest Clinic for further investigation including, if
necessary, examination of familial contacts.
Full details of the numbers tested and vaccinated are given in my reports as Principal School
Medical Officer.
The statistics submitted to the Ministry of Health for the years in question are summarised in
the following table